The trade deadline—Thursday, Feb. 5, at 3 p.m. Eastern—threatened to come and go without any drama outside the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga. Then, on a quiet Tuesday afternoon, two days before the actual deadline, all hell broke loose. Four trades took place with major ramifications for both conferences.
2025–26 NBA Trade Tracker: Every Deadline Deal
Before Tuesday, there had been only two trades in the entire NBA. The earlier trade occurred on Jan. 7th, when Trae Young was shipped to Washington while CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert were sent to Atlanta. The other trade laid the foundation for the James Harden blockbuster discussed later in this article. Cleveland sent De’Andre Hunter to Sacramento in a cap-cutting move that netted them Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis on Jan. 31.
Feb. 3: Cavaliers Acquire “The Beard”
It wouldn’t feel like an NBA trade season unless Harden changed teams. This year, the LA Clippers are sending Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland in a like-for-like swap.
Garland, 10 years younger than Harden, resets the Clippers’ contention clock as the Kawhi Leonard era comes to an end. At the moment, Harden is the better player, but Garland gives Los Angeles higher long-term upside.
Feb. 3: Celtics Sacrifice Fan Favorite for Frontcourt Help
The Celtics said goodbye to Anfernee Simons, who had been on the trade block since arriving in Boston. He served as a spark off the bench, embracing the role after starting for Portland for most of his career.
In return, Boston landed a modern five who scores inside and out. Nikola Vucevic gives the Celtics a floor-stretching big and strengthens their frontcourt rotation. Chicago adds an intriguing asset in Simons to a crowded guard rotation. Are the Bulls the NBA’s Bank of America for guards?
Trade Grades: Celtics Ship Anfernee Simons For Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic
Feb. 3: JJJ Heads to Utah
In perhaps the biggest surprise of the day, the Jazz acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. as part of an eight-player, two-team trade. Utah signaled its intent to compete again with this deal, which aligns with all recent reports coming out of the organization. With multiple frontcourt players on large contracts—or, in the case of Walker Kessler, set to receive one—it remains to be seen how they all fit together.
The Grizzlies shift their rebuild into the next gear and will likely look to move Ja Morant before the deadline. They have already recouped eight first-round picks from this trade and Desmond Bane’s deal in the summer.
Feb. 3: Jaden Ivey Leaves Detroit for Chicago
This was a three-team trade involving the Timberwolves, Bulls, and Pistons. Chicago added a promising guard in Jaden Ivey and a veteran presence in Mike Conley. Ivey is a dynamic guard who has struggled to stay on the court. He made huge strides last season before a broken leg sidelined him this year.
The Pistons gained much-needed three-point shooting with Kevin Huerter, while Minnesota completed the trade primarily as a salary dump.
This list will be updated with every NBA trade deadline deal once they are official.
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